Jordan’s Bridge – In Their Own Words

On the last Sunday night of 2012, Jordan’s Bridge made their debut in Blountville, TN. The trio consists of Phil Barker (tenor), Rick Sheets (lead) and brothers Jamey Lane (baritone/bass guitar) and Joe Lane (piano).Phil and Joe have a long history together, both being members of Singing Americans and Crimson River in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Here are their thoughts on the group’s formation and on the other members.

Phil on Jordan’s Bridge:

It’s been a long time since I sung with a group. I’ve sung with several groups over the years and decided I didn’t want to do it anymore, but once it gets in your blood you can’t hardly get it out. Of course I’ve been singing, just doing some solo work. But I kept having people say, ‘You need to be singing. You need to be singing.’ And I thought maybe that’s the way the Lord is telling me He wants me to sing again. I had told several groups I didn’t want to sing, but when Joe asked me, I don’t know, it just, I didn’t even really hesitate. I just felt the Lord in it.

There’s been times I’ve come off the road and just thought, that life isn’t for me anymore. And then I get to thinking about it, and realize that if this is what the Lord wants me to do, I’ve come too far to turn back. I have to keep on serving the Lord. I had Psalms 104:33 put on my CD and it says, ‘I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.’ That’s what we are going to do. We aren’t going to try to show how pretty we sing. We are going to share the message to everyone that Jesus loves them.

Phil on Joe:

I started a group with some other guys one time and we needed a piano player. I knew just the guy. I called Joe and he said, ‘Yes sir, I’ll be there.’ We’ve traveled in two different groups together and this makes three. He’s the craziest guy I know and I believe he grins in his sleep. He and his brother both are just so full of talent that it blast out of them.

Joe on Phil and Jordan’s Bridge:

I’ve known Phil for 25 years and I’ve traveled with him a couple of times. He sung with a lot of top notch groups through the years and he has always been one of my favorite tenors.Through the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to play full time gospel music, and been through everything that goes along with that. Not that it was all bad, it was a great experience and I met a lot of great people. But I decided that the older I get… it isn’t that I don’t want to perform, but now more than ever as Christians, we need to reach the lost. And I thought if I get the chance to be in my own singing ministry, I want to serve the Lord. I’m tired of messing around. It’s time to get down to business.

For a long time, Phil and I and have talked several times a week. The last group I was with, before I left them, Phil had come to see us. I asked him that night if he wanted to sing and put something together. He didn’t think twice, he just said, ‘Yes.’ It made my heart go flying. And I thought, this is going to be good. And it all came together after that.

Joe on Rick:

I met this guy (Rick) when he booked the group I was with previously at his church. One day, I stopped by his office to talk to him. During that conversation, he said, ‘I’ve sung for a lot of years, but I’d love to sing with a group somewhere.’ I didn’t tell Rick that I’d already been talking to Phil but I told Rick that we may be able to work something out here. Before I left the parking lot, I was on the phone with Phil. I called Rick back and asked him if he wanted to get together and he said that he’d love to. He has a heart of gold, a wonderful voice, and he loves the Lord with all his heart.

Joe on Jamey:

He’s my biggest supporter. I couldn’t ask for a better brother. I asked him about singing some and he said, ‘Sure. Let me think about it.’ He said sure, but he had to think about it. I like those answers. As a musician, he’s got so much talent. If I had just a little bit of his talent, man, what I could do. He plays piano, he knows all about sound systems, he’s the best bass player I know, and he can forever more sing.

Be sure to check Daniel Mount’s Southern Gospel Blog for additional information on the group and to see a video of “What A Savior.”